Aeronca 15AC accident near Palmer, Alaska, August 28, 2009
On August 28, 2009 at about 10:33 pm local time, a Aeronca 15AC, registered N1301H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Palmer, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in a runway excursion, collision with terrain, and nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2009 · about 10:33 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 15AC · all 15ACs on the register
- Registration
- N1301H · registry record · serial 15AC-325
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, personal cross-country flight which included landing at an off-airport site. The pilot said he made several low passes over the landing area prior to landing. He said he had plenty of room for a safe landing, but when it appeared the airplane was going to go off the end of the landing area he applied the brakes, and aimed for a brushy area. He reported that brush concealed a creek with a 3-foot bank. The airplane collided with the bank, and nosed over. The pilot said an examination of the landing area revealed that the surface was wet glacial silt, and much slicker than he had anticipated. He said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. He said the airplane received substantial damage to the right wing, lift strut, and strut attachment.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Landing distance › Related operating info
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Wet surface › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Wet surface › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 16, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHD Anchorage AK at 4:11 pm
- Destination: Palmer AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.52 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from PAQ, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N1301H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC09CA089.